GCSE Exam Dates 2027

The GCSE exam dates 2027 start on Monday 10 May 2027 and finish on Friday 18 June 2027. There is also a spare day, called the contingency day, on Wednesday 23 June 2027. GCSE results day is Thursday 19 August 2027. AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and WJEC Eduqas all use the same dates for the main subjects, so your maths, English and science exams fall on the same days whichever board your school picks. 

Do you want to know exactly when your GCSEs start and finish? You are in the right place. This guide shares the GCSE exam dates 2027, so you can plan your year without any guessing. 

What dates are GCSE exams 2027?

GCSE exams are the big tests that students sit at the end of Year 11. The good news is that the timetable for summer 2027 is already final. That means you can write every date in your calendar today.

So, what dates are GCSE exams 2027? The exam season lasts about six weeks. The first exam is on Monday 10 May 2027, and the last exam is on Friday 18 June 2027. Morning exams start at 9 am. Afternoon exams start at 1.30 pm.

These are the dates for GCSE exams 2027 that matter most. They come from the Joint Council for Qualifications, which is a group that agrees on one timetable for all the exam boards. We have checked every date in this guide against the official JCQ and exam board timetables.

A small break in the middle: there are no exams between Friday 28 May and Monday 7 June 2027. For most schools this is the May half term. It is a good time to rest and to revise. 

Feeling a little worried when you see how many weeks of exams there are? That is normal. A clear plan and the right support make the whole season feel much smaller. If you would like a friendly expert on your side, take a look at our GCSE tuition in Birmingham.

Last GCSE exam date 2027: What date do GCSE exams finish in 2027?

The last GCSE exam date 2027 is Friday 18 June 2027. On that morning, students sit Physics Paper 2. After that, the main exam season is over.

So, what date do GCSE exams finish 2027? The short answer is 18 June. But there is one more date to know about. Wednesday 23 June 2027 is the contingency day. Think of it as a spare day, just in case something goes wrong.

The contingency day is only used when something serious happens, like a national problem that stops exams from taking place. Most years it is never needed. But it is still smart to keep it free. 

GCSE exams 2027 dates in order

Here are the GCSE exams 2027 dates for maths, English and science, one after the other. All of these papers are morning exams, so they start at 9 am.

Look closely and you will see something important. The core subjects are spread across all six weeks. One week can feel quiet and the next week can feel very busy. Knowing this early helps you spread your revision out in a smart way.

GCSE Maths exam dates 2027

Maths has three papers. All three are in the morning and each one lasts 1 hour 30 minutes for AQA, Pearson Edexcel and OCR. Foundation and Higher tier students sit their papers at the same time.

Two gaps in this timetable are worth planning around. There are 13 days between Paper 1 and Paper 2. Then there are 18 days between Paper 2 and Paper 3. The half-term break sits inside the second gap, so you will want a plan before you leave school for the holiday.

Paper 1 is the only one with no calculator. That means number skills, fractions and algebra need to feel strong early on. Our GCSE maths tuition helps students build these skills step by step, so Paper 1 feels familiar instead of scary.

GCSE English exam dates 2027

English is split into two subjects: English literature and English language. Each one has two papers, and all four are morning exams.

English literature Paper 1 is only the third day of the whole exam season. This means students need to know their books, poems and plays well before the spring holidays. It is a good idea to finish learning the texts early and then spend the last weeks practising answers.

Writing well takes practice, and practice works best with feedback. Our GCSE English tuition gives students that feedback, so they learn how to plan, write and check their answers with confidence.

GCSE Science exam dates 2027

Science has six papers. Students who take separate biology, chemistry and physics sit two papers in each science. Students who take combined science also sit six papers in total. Separate science papers are longer than combined science papers, but the dates are the same.

Biology Paper 1 comes on the second day of the exam season, so biology is the first science to be ready. Physics Paper 2 is the last paper of the series, on Friday 18 June.

That is a long gap between the first and second paper in each science. It is easy to forget what you learned in May by the time June arrives. Our GCSE Science tuition helps students keep all three sciences fresh the whole way through.

2027 GCSE exam dates for other subjects and languages

Subjects like history, geography, business and religious studies each have their own dates, and the dates can change a little from one board to the next. On the very first day, Monday 10 May, some students sit computer science or citizenship studies.

The best way to see every paper you will sit is to ask your school for your personal exam timetable. It shows each paper, the date and the start time. You can also look at the timetable on your exam board's website.

GCSE Languages have their own dates too

Language exams are different because they have listening, reading, writing and speaking parts. The written papers usually fall on different days. Speaking tests often happen before the main exam season even begins, so ask your teacher for the speaking test window as early as you can.

If your child is learning a community language, our GCSE Hindi tuition gives them a clear plan for every part of the exam.

Learning Panjabi? Each language has its own paper dates, so check your timetable carefully. Our GCSE Panjabi tuition helps students get ready for every paper, from listening to writing.

GCSE 2027 exam dates: Are they the same for every exam board?

For the main subjects, yes. Because the JCQ shares one timetable, a maths exam is on the same morning whether a student is entered with AQA, Pearson Edexcel or OCR. Your exam board changes the paper lengths and the questions, but it does not change the date for the main subjects.

Scotland uses National 5 qualifications on a different timetable, so these dates do not apply there.

Schools pick an exam board for each subject, so one student can do AQA English and Edexcel maths in the same year. Your teacher or your exams officer can tell you which board you have. For more GCSE guides, tips and resources, visit our sister website, Pass GCSE, which is built just for GCSE students.

GCSE Results Day, Resits and other key dates

GCSE Results Day 2027

GCSE results day 2027 is Thursday 19 August 2027. Schools and colleges get the results one day earlier, on Wednesday 18 August, so they can get ready to help students. A level results come out a week before, on Thursday 12 August 2027.

The November Resits

Students who did not get the grade they needed in maths or English language can sit the exams again in November. Only these two subjects are in the November series. The November 2026 resits run from Tuesday 3 to Monday 9 November 2026.

How to get ready for the GCSE exams 2027 

As we write this, the first exam is just over 30 weeks away. That is plenty of time to get ready, as long as you start with a plan. Here are five simple tips from our team.

1. Put every date on a big calendar

Print the tables on this page and stick them on a wall at home. Seeing the dates every day makes the exams feel real and helps you plan.

2. Plan backwards from Friday 14 May

Maths Paper 1 is the first big paper for many students. Pick the topics you find hardest and give them extra time in the autumn and spring terms.

3. Use the gaps in the timetable well

The half-term break and the long gaps between papers are perfect for revision. Make a small plan for each gap before you finish school for the break.

4. Practise with timed past papers

Sit a paper in a quiet room and stick to the real time limit. This teaches you how to pace yourself, which saves marks on the day.

5. Get an expert on your side

A good tutor spots gaps quickly and fixes them kindly. Our GCSE tutors work with students one step at a time, so no topic stays scary for long.

Visit Pass GCSE, our website made just for GCSE students, to find even more guides and support for your exam year.

Final thoughts

The GCSE exam dates 2027 are now fixed. Exams start on Monday 10 May 2027, the last exam is on Friday 18 June 2027, and results day arrives on Thursday 19 August 2027. Write the dates down, keep the contingency day free, and check your own timetable from school for every paper you will sit.

The best plan is a simple one. Know your dates, spread your revision out, and ask for help early. With a little time and the right support, the exam season becomes much easier to handle, and we are always here to help along the way. Get in touch with us today.